


Without You

by dreamiesficfest, lettersfornomin



Series: Dear Dream - Dreamies Fic Fest (First Wave) [8]
Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: M/M, arena of valor isn't my cup of tea, cocky donghyuck, confused marko, johnny is telepathic, no angst in here
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-29
Updated: 2019-03-29
Packaged: 2019-12-26 05:12:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,909
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18276467
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dreamiesficfest/pseuds/dreamiesficfest, https://archiveofourown.org/users/lettersfornomin/pseuds/lettersfornomin
Summary: Prompt Number: #DD024It's been two weeks since Donghyuck halted all his year-end activities with NCT and Mark doesn't quite know what to feel performing with Dream for the last time without the same melanin boy perking his nose on his business and annoying his ass.





	Without You

**Author's Note:**

> Notes from the Author: (to jane3697@gmail.com, girl I'm sorry that your prompt will be written by a mediocre writer a.k.a me)

 

_ December.  _ It’s the time of the year where most artists harvest awards to end another round of a fruitful year for their respective careers. NCT completely isn’t an exception. Although their agency boycotted MAMA, that wasn’t a hindrance for them to win award. And now, here they are behind the stage on a busy New Year’s Eve preparing everything to show the fans an explosive welcome to another year of success.

 

Mark is always the first one to get his makeup done alongside Jaemin, he sat on the couch, phone in hand scrolling through Twitter. Yes, homeboy got twitter and is lurking beneath the blue bird app. He continued to scrolled up until he saw this one tweet that made him question what his actual emotion is at the very moment.

 

_ “It’s Mark’s last time performing with the Dreamies and too bad Hyuckie won’t be there. Talk about damn bad timing.” _

 

Mark turned his phone off and tossed it on the other side of the couch landing with a soft plop. Laughter fills the waiting room. Taeyong decided that 127 and Dream should have separate rooms to avoid chaos because most likely Doyoung and Renjun will be coming for each others’ throats. Despite having a few people inside, it seemed like it’s jam-packed. The Dream members are all playing Arena of Valor and their constant shouting and guffaw rings on Mark’s ears. Chenle’s voice alone is already enough to make the room noisy as fuck. It’s always like this whenever he’s with the Dream members but the harmony of the noise is definitely lacking. Something’s missing.

 

_ …or rather someone. _

 

_ M _ ark thought that they all seem to be happy, do not be mistaken, Mark himself is also happy despite his eagerness to sleep for a whole decade. He was able to promote many times over the course of the year and needless to say he has improved a lot. But that isn’t the point as to why is he is having a hard time figuring out what the fuck is wrong with him tonight. Is he really malfunctioning?

 

_ Why does it have to be now? _

 

Or maybe he isn’t.

 

Mark decided to go to the 127 waiting room only to see all of the members, except for a few, dozing off in the chair and the sofa. Jungwoo is a little peculiar though because he’s under the table with his snoopy stuff toy as pillow.

 

“Yo Mark,” Johnny called out, hands motioning to come to him. The Canadian boy followed closing the door behind him as quietly as possibly.

 

“What’s up with the radiating sad boy energy? You’ve read another hate comment online do you?” the older Chicago boy asked. Mark sat down beside him, his head lying down with his eyes closed. He let out a sigh.

 

“No, it’s just that — “

 

“Drop the @ I’ll throw a fit on that person.”

 

“That’s something he would say,” Mark voiced out. And in that moment, Johnny knew what’s bothering his fellow foreign swagger.

 

“I think I know what’s going on.”

Mark fluttered his eyes open and turned to look at Johnny who has a sly smile plastered on his face.

 

“Mark, you co-wrote Whiplash and Baby Don’t Like It and wrote those songs with bold and clear lyrics. Why is it that when it comes to things like this you get all tongue-tied?” Johnny asked earning a light  _ ‘tsk’ _ from the latter.

 

“I do not appreciate you being cryptic hyung,” Mark went back to his previous position sighing for the second time again. He felt Johnny’s big ass hand rubbed on his shoulder and squeezing them lightly.

 

“Tell you what Mark you’re the one refusing to accept things here. It’s been almost two weeks since you’ve been like that. I know I was never a part of Dream but like I know how you feel bro. Word of advice, never let whatever you feel stay inside you.”

 

Johnny always knows what to say every single time.

 

Mark excused himself to go out to which Johnny responded with a simple  _ ‘hmm’ _ and finds himself on a staircase nearby. Maybe he really is refusing to acknowledge things. It was the same intense emotion he felt when he was reminded of Canada and how he wants to go home so bad.

 

Mark sighed once more but in defeat.

 

_ He was never subtle that even Johnny can read through him or maybe he just knew him from the inside out but that’s not the point. He could only be thankful that it’s just Johnny. And now he’s admitting it to himself. The reason why the Dream’s dynamism seems to be missing something essential and why he’s feeling that lack of drama in his life for the past fourteen days is Donghyuck. He misses Donghyuck. Lee Donghyuck. That brunette boy with rainbow highlights and in hiatus because of a broken shinbone from excessive practice. That’s right he missed him. A lot. _

 

Now that he admitted it to himself, what now?

 

He fished for his phone and scrolled through his contacts until it landed on the hiatus boy’s number. Mark pressed on the call button hoping that Hyuck will pick up his call and at the same time hopes that he won’t because for sure he’ll be at loss for words once he hears his voice.

 

“Hello hyung?”

 

_ Shit. He picked it up. _

 

Mark never ended a call fast until today. Maybe the cowardice in him jumped out. Why can’t he say anything? He could’ve asked if he already ate dinner or does he want to say something to the fans if ever they receive an award. He could’ve said something but no he decided to be a fucking clamshell that is hard to break open.

 

“Mark hyung there you are, show time in five,” Jaemin, with the rest of the dreamies, said approaching him. Jeno helped him attach his customized in-ear piece as the stage organizer ushered them towards backstage.

 

“NCT 127 and Dream wait for the cue for you guys to show up.”

 

This is it. Mark’s last performance with Dream, without Donghyuck. It’s still bothering him but it gets manageable as he sees the younger members’ faces.

“It doesn’t feel the same without Haechan hyung but I know he’ll be watching the live stream at his home,” Chenle remarked, his shoulders slumped as realization also hit the other Dream members.

 

“Great Chenle, now we’re sad,” Jisung nudged at Chenle making the older whine lightly at the touch.

 

“You’re both insensitive to Mark hyung. If we’re sad, what more does he feel when this is his last time with us?” Renjun reprimanded the two youngest and looking immediately at Mark whose head hangs lowly.

 

Mark was always ready about what’s coming ahead of him. He knows the schedules on the back of his mind and what’s gonna happen next but what he didn’t saw was Donghyuck not joining them on his last stage with Dream on New Year’s Eve. He always thought he’ll be with them. _ Curse extensive practices and sleepless nights. _

 

“Well, we just gotta do it for him, don’t we?” Mark said, a genuine smile on his face present. “Things happen inevitably and we just have to face it. I miss Hyuckie too but what can we do when he’s on bed rest? The least we can do is fill up his place and showcased everything that we worked hard on.”

 

“For the fans.”

 

“For Donghyuck.”

 

“127 is up next stay tuned in 20 seconds guys,” the staff motioned Mark to go with the 127 members.

 

“Let’s get this bread guys! Yo Dream!” Mark started in the huddle up.

“Jeoro! Jeojja! Fighting!” the Dreamies chanted together.

_ —— _

“Y’all guys did great,” Mark patted everyone on their back for a job well done on their stage performance. He admits that he can’t help but feel a little unsatisfied because of Hyuck’s absence but seeing Dream looked happy made his heart swell up a little in joy.

 

He held the trophy Dream won as one of The Rising Male Acts of 2018 as he rested fully on the car once he managed to find a comforting spot. He joined the 127 hyungs because for sure he won’t find quietness with the Dreamies. He was about to take a quick nap when his phone rang. He picked it up.

 

“He — “

 

“MARK LEE YOU LOOKED FUCKING HORRIBLE ON STAGE!” the voice’s owner screamed piercing right through Mark’s right ear.

 

“Wow nice to know that you missed me a lot Lee Donghyuck,” Mark slyly replied.

“I didn’t know trying to call you out is another definition of missing a bitch. Does that mean you were trying to call me out earlier?” Donghyuck faked a gasp on the other line.

 

“Bold of you to assume that I miss you Hyuckie.”

 

“Stop lying honey, the word spread like wildfire. A big birdie told me you miss me.”

Mark eyed Johnny on the passenger seat and he could only assume that he’s the one responsible for it.

 

“I-I can’t help it okay? You’re always all over the place whenever you’re here with us. I-I wanna smooch your face, shower it with small kisses, hear you sing and cuddle you holy shit I got carried away,” Mark’s words came out as a mumble that is barely audible on the other line when he realized those streak of words that he just said.

 

Mark’s face heated up, his cheeks a tinted pink flush. This is more than just him missing Donghyuck. This is something else. Or he’s still missing him ut the feeling just intensifies when he heard the younger’s voice.

 

Silence enveloped the two and Mark thought Donghyuck had his speaker on mute so he won’t hear what the latter will be saying.

 

“Mark, do you mean it?” Donghyuck managed to speak.

 

“Yes.”

 

“Tell you what Markles I miss you too and I wanna do those things that you said with you. Just wait till I get back there.”

 

“Which is probably in a  few months?” Mark chuckled softly.

 

“Who says that a crippled diva can’t sing just because he has a broken shinbone?”

 

And that’s when it dawned on Mark Lee on what the younger was trying to tell him.

“You’re joining the 127 tour in Seoul?” he asked, his hopes up high.

 

“127 won’t be 127 without a bad bitch you know Mark. I’ll be hanging up now, my mom wants me to be with the family and not on my phone during the lousy countdown. Bye, Markiepoo. Happy New Year,” Donghyuck ended the call with a kiss sound and without Mark telling him goodbye as well.

 

A few minutes later, colourful streaks of fireworks decorated the night sky with loud music and constant cheering from people can be heard clearly from afar. Mark stared at the sky in wonder and awe. The earlier feeling he’s got has all been washed up. Maybe this doesn’t have anything to do with timing. Maybe it’s all about the missed opportunities that came across him when he was still a member of Dream. Maybe it was because of that. But they can always create new ones right? And grab everything so nothing will go to waste. Mark smiled to himself knowing that he knew his resolution the moment the clock strike 12 signalling another year full of a lot of possibilities and maybe, just maybe a potential time to get a boyfriend.

 

_ “Boyfriend, huh?” _

 


End file.
